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Slashing Tires
Jun. 8th, 2020 11:57 pmAn item in Slate reports that the Minneapolis police were slashing car tires for laughs. Elsewhere, a citizen of Minneapolis reported that the police, while dealing roughly with demonstrators, were not arresting the thugs (boogaloo bois?) who were going around smashing windows and setting fires. And then there’s Bob Kroll, the president of the police union in that city.
I cannot be sure of the truth of these allegations, but the picture that emerges makes sense in terms of public choice theory. In plain English, the Minneapolis police are looking after their own institutional interests, not doing the job they’re supposed to do (or at least, this description applies to some of some of them; others may be more honorable). They’re offended by peaceful demonstrators and by journalists, and they enjoy hurting people, so why not slash tires, as well as firing tear gas and rubber bullets. They don’t really want to crack down on crime — without crime, why have so many police, and pay them well? Let there be rioting and vandalism to convince people that they need the police, and police brutality to provoke rioting.
It may not be in the public interest, but institutions which are supposed to serve the public are as capable of looking out for their own interests as private, for-profit businesses.
Now how do we get out of this mess?
I cannot be sure of the truth of these allegations, but the picture that emerges makes sense in terms of public choice theory. In plain English, the Minneapolis police are looking after their own institutional interests, not doing the job they’re supposed to do (or at least, this description applies to some of some of them; others may be more honorable). They’re offended by peaceful demonstrators and by journalists, and they enjoy hurting people, so why not slash tires, as well as firing tear gas and rubber bullets. They don’t really want to crack down on crime — without crime, why have so many police, and pay them well? Let there be rioting and vandalism to convince people that they need the police, and police brutality to provoke rioting.
It may not be in the public interest, but institutions which are supposed to serve the public are as capable of looking out for their own interests as private, for-profit businesses.
Now how do we get out of this mess?
